Prosecution rests in murder trial

PICKENS - A fire science expert said Monday that he would have reported problems with the murder and arson investigation of Don Kinsela to anyone he could have, even to the U.S. attorney general.

David Icove, who has a doctoral degree in fire science, and has co-authored books including the main textbook used by fire investigators testified Monday after prosecutors rested their case in Kinsela's murder trial.

Kinsela is charged with the death of his wife, who died of smoke inhalation in a two-story outbuilding behind their Easley home in July 2010.

Monday is the fourth day of the trial.

Icove said the investigators made mistakes that rendered their later tests and conclusions unreliable.

"The fire investigation conducted in this case failed to meet the standards of care in a fire investigation," he said.

Icove criticized the evidence gathering and the lack of crime scene evidence logs or thorough photos.

Earlier testimony included a state fire investigator whose camera memory card had failed and photos from Easley and federal investigators that show a compact refrigerator in the shed with an open door.

Defense experts have suggested that the refrigerator could have been a source of ignition but investigators say that the door was opened by investigators to check Don Kinsela's account of what he took from the fridge.

Icove said that court testimony, instead of the documents and reports, is the only place where the door was ever said to have been opened and he said it was indicative of a sloppy investigation.

A forensic scientist with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division also testified about gasoline that was found on the clothes of Cheryl Kinsela.

The judge dismissed a motion by defense attorney Druanne White, which sought to dismiss the case for lack of evidence.

Testimony continued Monday afternoon. Check www.independentmail.com for more information.